Seat construction



Dec. 27, 1938. I FENSlN 2,1 4-L7l0 SEAT CONSTRUCTION Filed March 28-,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I? van for.

Dec; 27, 1938. E. R. .FENSIN SEAT CONSTRUCTION Fi led March 28, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 2 llllll M l l h Ill... 1T I IIII II will lwl L Fill Inll-IIIIIIIL 172 we): for

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The present invention-relates to seats and is directed particularly tothe type known as theatre seats and is further directed to novelconstructions of the side supporting brackets or standards incombination with quickly mountable and demountable hinge elements forhingedly mounting a seat for tilting movement, and in combination withquicklymountable or demountable connecting plates for anchoring andholding the seat back in the desired inclined. po-

sition with respect to the.tiltable seat.

In theinstallation of theatre seats it is frequently found necessary toplace the rows of a series of seats in curved relation to the buildingwalls or. tothe stage, or upon an inclined floor, where each successiveor next adjacent seat is slightly lower than the adjacent one, or in anumber of irregular positions, because of obstructions, curvatures,inclines of the floors, walls or obstructions in locations wherein therespective seats will bear various non-uniform positions with respect tothe adjacent seats in the same row or in the adjacent rows. require aseat construction which is flexible and 1 which will not distort orspring the seat out of its natural shape, which action usually rendersthe tiltable seat wholly or partially inoperative and frequently resultsin quick disrepair, breakage and discomfort to the user.

It is an important object of my invention to wholly overcome the abovementioned objectionable features of seats heretofore known by providinga theatre seat construction wherein a plurality of uniform metalsupporting standards 1 having lower integral legsv may be secured on afloor in spaced apart relation to accord with any irregular manner inwhich the row of seats is desired and thereafter permitting quick andconvenient mounting of the cushioned seats and pivotally connectingattachable hinge brackets and seat backs to said standards, there being,where desirable, only. one supporting standard between two adjacentseats.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a supportingstandard for theatre seats and the like made of a single integral metalunit having a plurality of vertically disposed integrally formedapertured lugs or bosses wherein the respective apertures are invertical alignment with each other in order to receive a single pintlewhereby to pivot an upper wing shaped connecting plate for anchoring theseat back and to pivot-ally mount a metal hinge bracket to which oneside of the seat pro-per is secured.

A further Object of my invention is thepro- Such requirements vision ofa seat construction wherein a single supporting standard has formedthereon, integral therewith and on opposite sides thereof, bosses orlugs having apertures in vertical alignment to provide for hinged orpivotal attachment thereto of an upper plate or connecting member, theopposite edge of'whichis secured to the seat back, and to providetherebelow for pivotal mounting of a hinge bracket which is attached tothe side edge of the seat proper, said construction permitting adjacentseats to be satisfactorily secured in position in any one of a number ofirregular nomuniform adjacent positions.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a seat constructionwherein a hinge bracket. two of which are secured on opposite sides ofthe seat proper, are mounted to pivot horizontally upon a quicklyinsertable substantially vertical pintle, the pintle passing throughsuitable apertured lugs or bosses formed on the supporting standard.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent; from thefollowing description and claims.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Fig. 1' is aside elevational view of a theatre seat showing on theforward side thereof the pivotally mounted winging or connecting platefor the seat back and showing the supporting hinge bracketmounted by asingle pintle.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the seat supporting standard itselfshowing only the vertically aligned apertured lugs and without the backsupporting plate or seat supporting hinge bracket.

Fig. 4 is a partially top plan and partially cross sectional view of atheatre seat with adjacent spaced apart standards, the cross sectionalportion being taken on line 4'-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the wing or connecting plate whereby theseat back is releasably mounted with respect to the seat standard.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral l0 indicates asubstantially rectangular metal supporting standard which is preferablycast in one piece and having integrally formed legs H and H whichpreferably have their aperturedflanged lower ends formed to permit thestandard to be secured to the floor or other base by means ofsuitablescrews l3, as indicated in Fig. 1. It will be noted that thestandard l may be of relatively light construction and preferably formedwith relatively large apertures l4 and I5 as shown. Integral headedstuds l6 are preferably formed in the upper inclined edge of thestandard in to provide for quick and con venient mounting of an arm restI! which is" made of suitable material, preferably of WOOCL As clearlyindicated in Figs. 2 and 3, an integral lug I8 having a verticalaperture therethrough is formed substantially adjacent the up per edgeof the standard l0. A lug I 9, substantially similar to lug I8, isformed integrally with the rear edge of the standard l0 and at a pointsubstantially mid-way between the ends thereof, and in verticalalignment 'with the aperture of lug l8. A lug 20 similar to lugs l8 andI9 is formed in alignment with and below and spaced apart from lug l9,as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the space between integral lugs l9and being suflicient to provide for the insertion of the aperturedportion 2la of a hinge bracket 2|. A connecting and anchoring plate 22,preferably of trapezoidal shape shown clearly in Fig. 6, has one edgethereof rolled to form a knuckle 22a. and has its opposite longitudinaledge bent at an angle and apertured to provide for the convenientinsertion'of screws or the like when the same is attached to the backrest or seat back. The

hinge bracket 2| forms part of the seat supporting hinge or hingeassembly. Numeral 2 la designates an apertured portion of hinge-bracket2|. The opposite end of said hinge bracket 2| is pivotally connected toseat arm or hinge arm 24a by suitable pivot 23, as clearly shown in thedrawings. As shown in enlarged Fig. 5, the pivotally movable seat orhinge arm 24a has a suitable integral angular apertured flange 24 uponwhich the longitudinal lower edge. of the cushion seat proper rests. asshown also in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Said seat or hinge arms 24a aresecured to the seat 21 by suitable screws passing through said angularflanges 24, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It will be noted particularly from Figs. 2 and 5, that each of thesupporting frames or standards l9 have integral lugs l8, l9 and 20 oneach of the opposite sides thereof and directly opposite to each other.Obviously, one supporting standard 88 serves as a support for theadjacent sides of two adjacent seats, there being two hinge brackets 2!pivoted on opposite sides of the standard as clearly shown inrFigs. 2and 5. Likewise, two connecting plates. 22 are. pivoted in correspondingrelative position on opposite sides of each.

standard, one thereof having its opposite angular end secured by screwsor the like to the side edge of the seat back 25, as clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 4, and the connecting plate 22 on the opposite side ofstandard I 0 being correspondingly secured to the seat back (not shown)of the adjacent seat.

The highly important and novel feature of my invention is theafore-described construction.

which has the great and novel advantage of permitting a row of standardsIn to be bolted to the floor in spaced apart position, of adistanceapart to conveniently permit the mounting of the respective cushionseats 21 therebetween and their attached hinge brackets afore-described.The row ofsuch standards may be curved to accord'to any desiredcurvature of the row of seats. After said standards are positioned, eachof the seat backs 25 with its two opposite attached connecting plates'22 are slipped into positionsozthat the apertured knuckle 22a is inalignment with the apertures of respective bosses l8, l9 and 20.Thereupon the cushion seats of attached hinge brackets are quickly andeasily inserted so that the apertured end of the arm2la will also be inalignment with the respective apertures of lugs l8, I9 and 2G, whereupona pin or pintle 26 is manually inserted to secure and mount the seatbacks, cushion seats and connected hinge brackets in position. When itis desired to dismount the theatre seats it is only necessary to removethe respective pintles 26, thence the seats and backs 25. Because of thefact that both the connections between the seat backs 25 and thestandard' H3 in each case are pivotal and that the connection betweenthe seat supporting hinge brackets 2| is also pivotaL- there is nodistortion or springing of any of the parts of the seat, andparticularly there is no distortion of hinge and pivot 23and between thearms 22 and Zla of the hinge bracket which is the objectionable featureof seats heretofore known where the seats are required to be placed inirregular positions relative to each other.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through awide range without departing from' the principles of this invention, andI therefore do not desire to limit the patent granted hereon otherwisethan necessitated by the prior art. a

I claim as my invention:

1. In a theatre seat having a pivotal seat and a backrest comprising apair of spaced apart standards; a plurality of apertured lugs formed oneach of said standards in vertical alignment; a pair of hinge bracketseach comprising a horizontally pivotal apertured bracket portion havingone end thereof removably and pivotally connected to lugs of arespective standardand an arm pivoted for vertical movement on the freeend of said bracket portion; a seat mounted on said arms to providevertical pivoting movement thereof; a pair'of back anchoring plateshaving one edge of each thereof secured to opposite sides of said backrest and having'their. other forward edges pivotally mountedrespectively in certain of the lugs on'the respective standards and invertical alignmentwith said pivotal connection of the respective bracketportions and a removable pintle in each standard extending throughthelugs thereof and through said apertured portion of said hinge bracketand through said connecting plate to pivotally connect. each of saidhinge brackets and plates to each standard and providing verticalpivotal movement of said seat and attached hinge bracket arm's;

2. In a theatre seat having a pair of spaced 'apart side supportingstandards, a pivotalseat otal vertical movement; a pair of backconnecting plates each said plate having one edge secured on the seatback and its other edge pivotally connected to others of said lugs ofthe adjacent standard; and a removable pintle in each standardextending'thr ough the lugs thereof and through said hinge bracket andthrough said connecting plate to pivotally mount each of said hingebrackets and each of said plates to said standards respectively.

3. In a theatre seat having a vertically tiltable seat and an inclinedback comprising a supporting standard having a pair of spaced apartlegs; a hinge bracket including an apertured portion pivoted forhorizontal movement with respect to said standard and an arm pivoted tothe free end of said bracket to provide vertical movement thereof; aplurality of spaced apart apertured lugs on said standard certain ofsaid lugs providing for pivotalmounting of said hinge bracket and aconnecting plate having one periphery thereof apertured and removablymounted be- 1 tween others of said lugs in alignment with the pivotalconnection of said hinge bracket and permitting horizontal pivotalmovement of said plate; said plate having its opposite edge connected tothe seat back; and a pintle removably mounted in said lugs and extendingthrough said plate and through the apertured portion of said hingebracket.

4. In a theater seat construction, a metal frame-like standard having aplurality of spaced apart integral vertically aligned apertured lugsthereon, hinge means comprising a hinge bracket and a hinge arm pivotedon said hinge bracket, said hing bracket being pivoted on said standardfor horizontal movement; said hinge arm being adapted to be connected toa seat, a back anchoring plate having a knuckle along one edge andpivoted therealong to said standard, and a removable pintle in theapertures of said lugs, in said portion of said hinge bracket and insaid anchoring plate knuckle whereby said hinge assembly and anchoringplate may be quickly assembled and disassembled.

5. In a seat, a pair of spaced apart supporting standards havingapertured lugs thereon, a seat member pivotally disposed for verticalmovement between said standards, a back rest disposed between saidstandards, hinge means on each of said standards comprising a hingebracket pivoted at one end on said standard and an arm pivoted on thefree endof said hinge bracket, an anchoring plate pivoted at one edgethereof to each standard and connected at its opposite edge to one edgeof said back rest, the pivotal connections of' each hinge bracket beingin substantial alignment with the pivotal connection of adjacentanchoring plate, and a removable pintle passing through the hingebracket, adjacent anchoring plate and the apertured lugs on each of saidstandards, said removable pintle permitting quick mounting anddismounting of said hinge assembly, said seat member and said back rest.

ERWIN R. FENSIN.

